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Brothers Drake Meadery – Wild Ohio

THE BROTHERS DRAKE of Columbus, Ohio make a broad array of meads from the traditional (water, honey, yeast—done) to paw paw-infused melomels and chocolate dessert concoctions. Basic or bedazzled, all their recipes are committed to a fundamental purity and utilize local ingredients wherever possible. Wild Ohio might be considered their ‘house blend’, representing their general approach to mead-making and serving as a baseline for further variation. As such it’s not the most memorable of recipes, but since it’s only sold in the meadery’s hometown chances are it was never intended to be a world-beater. Still it remains a worthy “mission statement” and about as solid a standard mead as one might hope to find in the American Midwest. Based on unboiled wildflower honey, it’s an almost entirely transparent pale yellow with an aroma a delicate blend of light honey, florals, and a bit of vanilla alongside a touch of tangy yeast. The flavor is modestly sweet with an off-medium body that a slight prickle of effervescence carries through to a slightly warming finish. The 13% ABV is quite well incorporated and the mouthfeel remains soft and pliant throughout. Despite its name Wild Ohio is tastefully restrained from start to finish. For better or for worse.